Local Veterans Day celebrations

Posted
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 10:51 am

Compiled by Joe Southern

Monday, Nov. 11, there will be local celebrations in honor of Veterans Day.

The 4th Annual Veterans Day Celebration will be held at 10:25 a.m. in the Sealy High School gymnasium. Following the program, a luncheon will be held for all veterans, current military personnel, and their families.

Faith Academy’s Veterans Day program will be held in the chapel at 9 a.m. Refreshments for all veterans will be served at 8 a.m. in the Beth Keaton Gymnasium at the school in Bellville.

Additionally, the Texas Historical Commission announced that Texas state historic sites now offer free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families throughout the year. THC preserves and operates 31 state historic sites across Texas. Sites related to World War II and U.S. armed forces include the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Eisenhower Birthplace in Denison, the Sam Rayburn House in Bonham, and three frontier-era forts in West Texas – Fort Griffin, Fort McKavett and Fort Stockton. Free admission is available to those currently serving in the U.S. military—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Corps.

Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day, marking the end of combat during World war I in 1918. World War I formally came to an end when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, however, the fighting concluded seven months earlier when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

When World War II and the Korean War happened, at the urging of veterans’ service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration on June 1, 1954, changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” to honor American veterans of all wars.

Marines birthday

Although not a Veterans Day event, the U.S. Marine Corps will celebrate its 244th birthday on Sunday, Nov. 10. The public is invited to attend at 6 p.m. at the Sealy American Legion Hall. Marines worldwide celebrate the day with a cake-cutting ceremony, honoring the oldest and youngest Marines in attendance. This year’s ceremony is hosted by The Semper Fi Society of Brazos Valley.